City of Stars
by prismdreams
Summary: Sacrifices must be made for dreams to come true, but who made these rules anyway? Who says you can't have it all? Snowbarry AU. La La Land theme. Full summary inside.


_Summary:_

__Caitlin Snow kept her ambitions in full force when she relocated to where stars are made, Hollywood, California. Through her struggles and rejections she meets someone on the same path not knowing if he was an inspiration or just a distraction. __

__Barry Allen is savvy, cool, calm and determined, unable to break concentration toward achieving his goals. Then a muse stepped in and all the notes he wanted to play came flowing before he could stop it. __

__Sacrifices must be made for dreams to come true, but who made these rules anyway? Who says you can't have it all? __

__Snowbarry AU. La La Land theme._ _

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_**A/N:** Hey guys! I've been planning this story for several months now. If you guys like the movie La La Land, you might enjoy this one. I changed and moved some things around to make them fit to Snowbarry's story. I sort of wanted the plot to mirror a little bit of Grant and Danielle's actual original dreams and aspirations. Danielle being drama trained and Grant wanting to headline Broadway, you'll see those traits interlocked with Caitlin and Barry. Let me know how this sounds. It's only a start, I have so much planned and if you're like me and hate that ending to the movie, then, you should read this story. I don't like to annoy the reader. OK everyone, that's it for now. Let me know in a review what you think, see you soon! :)_

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Caitlin Snow took off her dirty apron and threw it outside to be washed for the next shift. She didn't care for the job but it was what she needed for the time being. It was something she had to or she would still live with her parents; that was the last thing she wanted to do. Blocking their number seemed to seal the deal between them. After the fight she'd had with her mother, she wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes things just don't work out the way they're supposed to.

The ocean breeze hit her face as she walked aimlessly thinking when the hell is she going to find her big break? It wasn't that she was insecure, who wasn't? She just didn't know how long she was holding out for a miracle. She looked across the coast wondering what the hell she was doing in a foreign land, thousands of miles away from where she's from.

Proving her parents wrong? Proving something to herself? Making sure she was next line for the wealth and fame the city was bound to give?

Living the dream? Maybe that one, forget the rest, that motivated her to make the decision to hop the next Greyhound to Hollywood Hills, California. She lit a cigarette, taking a puff of small relief. What she really wanted was some reassurance. Not knowing how this was going to happen or when.

Walking along the docks seemed great right about now. She let her body relax against the winds that picked up suddenly; her long sandy blonde hair flowing in the misty air. She hated how hard this was. Living day to day not knowing what to expect, living on so little and just a dream.

Caitlin took a long puff and turned her attention turned away from her issues to someone strumming near the performance area. She never really listened to anyone in particular. They were just like her, starving for a big break. Hoping one day someone of value could give them a chance from their daily struggle. She let it drown out in the background as she took a long drag and closed her eyes. This was it. This was her life.

Living in Los Angeles was starting to take its toll. Too much has happened yet not enough has really progressed. Trial after trial, the priests back home did warn her how hard it was to change everything to live your purpose. She hated how right everyone seemed but she wasn't going to let it derail her. She could hear their voices pounding in her head but the longer she stayed where she was, the less they got to her.

Just a few months into her living situation, she would often find herself looking to the sky for answers. Hardly religious but she felt spiritual each time she stared at the blinking lights above. Like there was some kind of miracle up there she never knew existed.

She walked the longer way to the lot. She always liked her time near the ocean mist, feeling the crisp cool air fan her face after a long day of overly entitled customers. She loved that this cafe was near the shore. It was practically empty, aside from a few lifeguards coming inside, they began to wrap up for the night.

She walked a few steps to her car, one of the last ones in the parking lot. Usually when it was her time to leave everyone else had gone home. It was like her manager purposely made her schedule so she was counting the minutes until it was time to leave. She closed early a couple times and got in trouble. One more strike and she was gone, she couldn't afford that, and she needed the job. Sure, she could find another barista position, there are thousands in Los Angeles, but this one was in the heart of the city, next to a studio lot. She couldn't abandon it. Especially since she practically served movie and TV stars daily, that was the awesome perk.

Her roommates are more than likely off at some social climber party in some kind of clear glass house owned by a son of or relative of said known producer. They always invited her but she found herself wanting to run away from all the literal smoke and mirrors of that world. But that was the thing, if she wanted to make it in the business, she would have to network herself. She hated that part. Putting herself out there for judgments. But wasn't that the whole point of being a star? What if they didn't like her? What if she didn't win anyone over in the audition room?

She groaned internally, the dreaded audition room. The worst wait of her life. She couldn't shake the feeling she had before or after the audition day. Most of the time the producers weren't even watching you. They were either on their phones, ordering lunch, talking over you, or the worst one: interrupting your scene. Just anything to avoid paying attention to anyone's audition. Caitlin didn't think she was special or anything, she was sure it happened to other people, hell, she lived with 3 other aspiring actresses who were probably drowning their insecurities in the newest tub of ice cream, bingeing some new show on Netflix, wondering why they can't ever catch a break too.

Begrudgingly she walked around and found her way back to her street. It was easier this way, she and her roommates insisted on keeping this apartment as long as they can afford it. They were lucky they found something so decent. Thankfully the original owner left them a good 9 months on their lease, it was an offer they couldn't refuse. The rest of the story is history.

Caitlin has pined so much to be a star in Hollywood since before she could remember. Ever since she was a child she had dreamed of seeing her name on marquees and posters as a leading actress. She'd fall in love with the craft of acting in middle school, putting on plays that her parents rarely support; that was until she met like-minded people with the same dreams and aspirations. At least living in la la land had its perks, not to mention, the best weather anyone could ask for.

Tonight's forecast: warm and warmer. Caitlin wouldn't have it any other way. Better than bitterly cold or the extreme humidity back home. She's the walking cliché, small town girl with big dreams from East Jesus Nowhere. Her story isn't original, but it's unique because it belongs to her.

She patted her purse gently as a reminder that her rent is coming up. She was just squeaking by with her portion. The other girls weren't struggling as hard, of course they weren't, they were much prettier than her and they networked at those parties. She hated admitting that, especially to herself, but she knew the truth. Her look isn't commercial and she had to try much harder to create an image for herself that didn't resemble a plain Jane best friend look. It's not an ugly image, just not what sells. Her friends offered plastic surgery but she declined. As much as she wanted to be beautiful and perfect, she couldn't do that herself, even for her passions.

She sighed deeply, realizing where she was..._home_. Hollywood, the land of dreams, delusions and actual stars. This is the place where everyone starts, but will she make it?

That's for fate to decide. For now, all she can do is turn the key and pray that her dreams will finally touch reality.


End file.
